The Oklahoman's Ben Felder has traversed the state, talking to residents about their hopes, fears and dreams as the nation prepares for its transition under President-Elect Donald Trump.
“We are in a ‘what’s next?’ kind of phase,” said Charles Wilkes, 23, a north Tulsa resident who believes the increased spotlight on police and minority relations, along with the election of Donald Trump have led to increased levels of anxiety in the black community.
Part of a wall containing the names of people killed by police, at Church of the Restoration Unitarian Universalist, 1314 N Greenwood Ave., in Tulsa., Thursday, Dec. 8, 2016. Photo by Nate Billings, The Oklahoman
“You have a community that is sitting and waiting,” Wilkes said. “Is this going to get worse? Is this going to get better? There is a lot of uncertainty.”
From left, Community organizers Rev. Gerald L. Davis, Charles Wilkes, Kendra Stewart and Shay White give an interview at Church of the Restoration Unitarian Universalist, 1314 N Greenwood Ave., in Tulsa., Okla., Thursday, Dec. 8, 2016. Photo by Nate Billings, The Oklahoman
“A lot of people are scared about what is going to come,” said Ana Mora, whose in-laws have run the market in Guymon for six years.
Brought to the United States by her parents when she was nine-months-old, Mora's family is an example of Guymon’s mix of first-generation immigrants learning to adapt to their new home, and their foreign-born children who have known nothing but an American way of life.
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“We are here to work; we are not here to do anything bad,” Mora, 25, said. “But if (Trump) does what he says, there won’t be any workers. There won’t be a Guymon without immigrants.”
Ana Mora works in the store that her in-laws have owned and operated on Main Street for six years in the panhandle community of Guymon.
“The hope is huge,” said Shawn Wilson, co-host of a daily Elk City radio show called Exploring Energy, an hourlong program that features talk of the energy sector and interviews with various public officials.
An employee of Superior Fabrication, Inc. (SFI) that specializes in the fabrication of oil and natural gas production equipment work in the fabrication shop in Elk City, Okla., on Thursday, Jan. 5, 2017. Photo by Chris Landsberger, The Oklahoman
Wilson's boisterous tone continues off air as he contemplates the impact Trump's election already has had on the energy community.
“We now have more help-wanted ads running on our show than in the last two years combined," Wilson said. "We have people coming on our show saying they thought they would be hiring five; but after the election, they told us to hire 55 people.”
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator-designate Scott Pruitt is pictured during a meeting with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) on Capitol Hill in Washington, Friday, Jan. 6, 2017. (AP Photo/Zach Gibson)
<figure><img src="//cdn2.newsok.biz/cache/r960-8e36fb75f9a1203cc8101cad4a562bcb.jpg" alt="Photo - Part of a wall containing the names of people killed by police, at Church of the Restoration Unitarian Universalist, 1314 N Greenwood Ave., in Tulsa., Thursday, Dec. 8, 2016. Photo by Nate Billings, The Oklahoman" title="Part of a wall containing the names of people killed by police, at Church of the Restoration Unitarian Universalist, 1314 N Greenwood Ave., in Tulsa., Thursday, Dec. 8, 2016. Photo by Nate Billings, The Oklahoman"><figcaption>Part of a wall containing the names of people killed by police, at Church of the Restoration Unitarian Universalist, 1314 N Greenwood Ave., in Tulsa., Thursday, Dec. 8, 2016. Photo by Nate Billings, The Oklahoman</figcaption></figure><figure><img src="//cdn2.newsok.biz/cache/r960-6a67cfaa6c9a142943396aaca6c167fd.jpg" alt="Photo - From left, Community organizers Rev. Gerald L. Davis, Charles Wilkes, Kendra Stewart and Shay White give an interview at Church of the Restoration Unitarian Universalist, 1314 N Greenwood Ave., in Tulsa., Okla., Thursday, Dec. 8, 2016. Photo by Nate Billings, The Oklahoman" title="From left, Community organizers Rev. Gerald L. Davis, Charles Wilkes, Kendra Stewart and Shay White give an interview at Church of the Restoration Unitarian Universalist, 1314 N Greenwood Ave., in Tulsa., Okla., Thursday, Dec. 8, 2016. Photo by Nate Billings, The Oklahoman"><figcaption>From left, Community organizers Rev. Gerald L. Davis, Charles Wilkes, Kendra Stewart and Shay White give an interview at Church of the Restoration Unitarian Universalist, 1314 N Greenwood Ave., in Tulsa., Okla., Thursday, Dec. 8, 2016. Photo by Nate Billings, The Oklahoman</figcaption></figure><figure><img src="//cdn2.newsok.biz/cache/r960-3e62af3d2fffd5dca27ede3b35e8288f.jpg" alt="Photo - Great Plains Analytical Services (Gas) CEO Jordan Williamson speaks about how the energy policies of President-elect Donald Trump will impact the oil and gas sector and the local community while at his office in Elk City, Okla., on Thursday, Jan. 5, 2017. Photo by Chris Landsberger, The Oklahoman
" title="Great Plains Analytical Services (Gas) CEO Jordan Williamson speaks about how the energy policies of President-elect Donald Trump will impact the oil and gas sector and the local community while at his office in Elk City, Okla., on Thursday, Jan. 5, 2017. Photo by Chris Landsberger, The Oklahoman
"><figcaption>Great Plains Analytical Services (Gas) CEO Jordan Williamson speaks about how the energy policies of President-elect Donald Trump will impact the oil and gas sector and the local community while at his office in Elk City, Okla., on Thursday, Jan. 5, 2017. Photo by Chris Landsberger, The Oklahoman
</figcaption></figure><figure><img src="//cdn2.newsok.biz/cache/r960-531f6e91aa43923ffe4bcbfd6069303d.jpg" alt="Photo - Shawn Wilson host of local radio show exploringenergy.net speaks about how the energy policies of President-elect Donald Trump will impact the oil and gas sector and the local community while at city hall in Elk City, Okla., on Thursday, Jan. 5, 2017. Photo by Chris Landsberger, The Oklahoman
" title="Shawn Wilson host of local radio show exploringenergy.net speaks about how the energy policies of President-elect Donald Trump will impact the oil and gas sector and the local community while at city hall in Elk City, Okla., on Thursday, Jan. 5, 2017. Photo by Chris Landsberger, The Oklahoman
"><figcaption>Shawn Wilson host of local radio show exploringenergy.net speaks about how the energy policies of President-elect Donald Trump will impact the oil and gas sector and the local community while at city hall in Elk City, Okla., on Thursday, Jan. 5, 2017. Photo by Chris Landsberger, The Oklahoman
</figcaption></figure><figure><img src="//cdn2.newsok.biz/cache/r960-5bb9c5cd56e29edf242f58e879db44f2.jpg" alt="Photo - A pressure gage in the shop of Superior Fabrication, Inc. (SFI) that specializes in the fabrication of oil and natural gas production equipment in Elk City, Okla., on Thursday, Jan. 5, 2017. Photo by Chris Landsberger, The Oklahoman
" title="A pressure gage in the shop of Superior Fabrication, Inc. (SFI) that specializes in the fabrication of oil and natural gas production equipment in Elk City, Okla., on Thursday, Jan. 5, 2017. Photo by Chris Landsberger, The Oklahoman
"><figcaption>A pressure gage in the shop of Superior Fabrication, Inc. (SFI) that specializes in the fabrication of oil and natural gas production equipment in Elk City, Okla., on Thursday, Jan. 5, 2017. Photo by Chris Landsberger, The Oklahoman
</figcaption></figure><figure><img src="//cdn2.newsok.biz/cache/r960-0ed55bcfe8f14f750c585fa2f2cca7dd.jpg" alt="Photo - CUDD Energy Services engineer Robert Ward speaks about how the energy policies of President-elect Donald Trump will impact the oil and gas sector and the local community while at his office in Elk City, Okla., on Thursday, Jan. 5, 2017. Photo by Chris Landsberger, The Oklahoman
" title="CUDD Energy Services engineer Robert Ward speaks about how the energy policies of President-elect Donald Trump will impact the oil and gas sector and the local community while at his office in Elk City, Okla., on Thursday, Jan. 5, 2017. Photo by Chris Landsberger, The Oklahoman
"><figcaption>CUDD Energy Services engineer Robert Ward speaks about how the energy policies of President-elect Donald Trump will impact the oil and gas sector and the local community while at his office in Elk City, Okla., on Thursday, Jan. 5, 2017. Photo by Chris Landsberger, The Oklahoman
</figcaption></figure><figure><img src="//cdn2.newsok.biz/cache/r960-9eddac0228978e01d184e2c8f14e590a.jpg" alt="Photo - Shay White poses for a photo in front of the 1921 Black Wall Street Memorial located next to the Greenwood Cultural Center, 322 N Greenwood Ave., in Tulsa, Okla., Thursday, Dec. 8, 2016. Photo by Nate Billings, The Oklahoman" title="Shay White poses for a photo in front of the 1921 Black Wall Street Memorial located next to the Greenwood Cultural Center, 322 N Greenwood Ave., in Tulsa, Okla., Thursday, Dec. 8, 2016. Photo by Nate Billings, The Oklahoman"><figcaption>Shay White poses for a photo in front of the 1921 Black Wall Street Memorial located next to the Greenwood Cultural Center, 322 N Greenwood Ave., in Tulsa, Okla., Thursday, Dec. 8, 2016. Photo by Nate Billings, The Oklahoman</figcaption></figure><figure><img src="//cdn2.newsok.biz/cache/r960-41d5f8ba2ae219e5873bc35b5ea41ab4.jpg" alt="Photo - The Black Wall Street Memorial outside The Greenwood Cultural Center in Tulsa, Okla., on Thursday, Jan. 12, 2017. Photo by Chris Landsberger, The Oklahoman
" title="The Black Wall Street Memorial outside The Greenwood Cultural Center in Tulsa, Okla., on Thursday, Jan. 12, 2017. Photo by Chris Landsberger, The Oklahoman
"><figcaption>The Black Wall Street Memorial outside The Greenwood Cultural Center in Tulsa, Okla., on Thursday, Jan. 12, 2017. Photo by Chris Landsberger, The Oklahoman
</figcaption></figure><figure><img src="//cdn2.newsok.biz/cache/r960-2ab1a34fbe31c884b3dc4b3ccefc0312.jpg" alt="Photo - A mural painted on the highway bridge outside The Greenwood Cultural Center in Tulsa, Okla., on Thursday, Jan. 12, 2017. Photo by Chris Landsberger, The Oklahoman
" title="A mural painted on the highway bridge outside The Greenwood Cultural Center in Tulsa, Okla., on Thursday, Jan. 12, 2017. Photo by Chris Landsberger, The Oklahoman
"><figcaption>A mural painted on the highway bridge outside The Greenwood Cultural Center in Tulsa, Okla., on Thursday, Jan. 12, 2017. Photo by Chris Landsberger, The Oklahoman
</figcaption></figure><figure><img src="//cdn2.newsok.biz/cache/r960-c00aec11c2347cd0c8f8915f48413def.jpg" alt="Photo - An employee of Superior Fabrication, Inc. (SFI) that specializes in the fabrication of oil and natural gas production equipment work in the fabrication shop in Elk City, Okla., on Thursday, Jan. 5, 2017. Photo by Chris Landsberger, The Oklahoman
" title="An employee of Superior Fabrication, Inc. (SFI) that specializes in the fabrication of oil and natural gas production equipment work in the fabrication shop in Elk City, Okla., on Thursday, Jan. 5, 2017. Photo by Chris Landsberger, The Oklahoman
"><figcaption>An employee of Superior Fabrication, Inc. (SFI) that specializes in the fabrication of oil and natural gas production equipment work in the fabrication shop in Elk City, Okla., on Thursday, Jan. 5, 2017. Photo by Chris Landsberger, The Oklahoman
</figcaption></figure><figure><img src="//cdn2.newsok.biz/cache/r960-472daeb37174af4686ab4a376e74f7e1.jpg" alt="Photo - An employee of Superior Fabrication, Inc. (SFI) that specializes in the fabrication of oil and natural gas production equipment work in the fabrication shop in Elk City, Okla., on Thursday, Jan. 5, 2017. Photo by Chris Landsberger, The Oklahoman
" title="An employee of Superior Fabrication, Inc. (SFI) that specializes in the fabrication of oil and natural gas production equipment work in the fabrication shop in Elk City, Okla., on Thursday, Jan. 5, 2017. Photo by Chris Landsberger, The Oklahoman
"><figcaption>An employee of Superior Fabrication, Inc. (SFI) that specializes in the fabrication of oil and natural gas production equipment work in the fabrication shop in Elk City, Okla., on Thursday, Jan. 5, 2017. Photo by Chris Landsberger, The Oklahoman
</figcaption></figure><figure><img src="//cdn2.newsok.biz/cache/r960-048efc53ba068dca9d0a43712cb13fa1.jpg" alt="Photo - FILE - In this file July 8, 2016 file photo, civil rights leader Rep. John Lewis, D-Ga., and other members of the Congressional Black Caucus participate in a news conference on Capitol in Washington. Lewis and more than 30 House Democrats plan to boycott President-elect Donald Trump's inauguration on Friday, Jan. 20, 2017, casting the Republican businessman as a threat to democracy. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File)" title="FILE - In this file July 8, 2016 file photo, civil rights leader Rep. John Lewis, D-Ga., and other members of the Congressional Black Caucus participate in a news conference on Capitol in Washington. Lewis and more than 30 House Democrats plan to boycott President-elect Donald Trump's inauguration on Friday, Jan. 20, 2017, casting the Republican businessman as a threat to democracy. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File)"><figcaption>FILE - In this file July 8, 2016 file photo, civil rights leader Rep. John Lewis, D-Ga., and other members of the Congressional Black Caucus participate in a news conference on Capitol in Washington. Lewis and more than 30 House Democrats plan to boycott President-elect Donald Trump's inauguration on Friday, Jan. 20, 2017, casting the Republican businessman as a threat to democracy. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File)</figcaption></figure><figure><img src="//cdn2.newsok.biz/cache/r960-c_73c1d0ede24900bd3c0033989877294a.jpg" alt="Photo - Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator-designate Scott Pruitt is pictured during a meeting with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) on Capitol Hill in Washington, Friday, Jan. 6, 2017. (AP Photo/Zach Gibson)" title="Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator-designate Scott Pruitt is pictured during a meeting with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) on Capitol Hill in Washington, Friday, Jan. 6, 2017. (AP Photo/Zach Gibson)"><figcaption>Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator-designate Scott Pruitt is pictured during a meeting with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) on Capitol Hill in Washington, Friday, Jan. 6, 2017. (AP Photo/Zach Gibson)</figcaption></figure><figure><img src="//cdn2.newsok.biz/cache/r960-14ea7c71be242b4195ab19a41bb41163.jpg" alt="Photo - Ana Mora works in the store that her in-laws have owned and operated on Main Street for six years in the panhandle community of Guymon." title="Ana Mora works in the store that her in-laws have owned and operated on Main Street for six years in the panhandle community of Guymon."><figcaption>Ana Mora works in the store that her in-laws have owned and operated on Main Street for six years in the panhandle community of Guymon.</figcaption></figure>
Juliana Keeping
Juliana Keeping is on the enterprise reporting team for The Oklahoman and NewsOK.com.
Keeping joined the staff of The Oklahoman in 2012. Prior to that time, she worked in the Chicago media at the SouthtownStar, winning a Peter Lisagor Award...
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